


From Vantage Further

by peoriapeoria



Series: Fitter of the Species [42]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Burke's Law of Cameos, Conventions, Gen, Gender Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:54:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25945411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peoriapeoria/pseuds/peoriapeoria
Summary: "Bucky, we live science fiction," Steve pointed out.Barnes and Steve go to Dublin, Ireland for the 77th WorldCon.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Science Fiction, James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers
Series: Fitter of the Species [42]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/49140
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	From Vantage Further

**Author's Note:**

> The World Science Fiction Society, the Hugo Awards, and the Retrospective Hugo Awards are service marks of an unincorporated literary society. This work uses them without any commercial or monetary purpose, in pursuit of speculative fiction. Dublin, Ireland and its landmarks belong to the Irish people, and I'm living in the house that Jack (Kirby) built. James Buchanan Barnes and Steve Rogers have diverged from Marvel Cinematic Continuity; Steve's been a woman since Project Rebirth, and Barnes has become an Avenger. The internet has been so useful to research this story. If you were at the CCD or the Point and I didn't put you in this story, I'm sorry. You get to write that 'missing scene.'

Earlier, 2019:  
Reprise

Barnes caught his hair with the clip, securing it in a controlled fall down his back. His plan now required conspirators closer to home, and Bruce wasn't often alone without the possibility of Steve or Tony appearing. Today both were out of the tower without the explicit threat of needing reinforcements.

He stepped into the elevator so he could make his appointment. He could appreciate Bruce wanting control of his own schedule. Barnes stepped out of the elevator, smiling and shaking his head at the metal Candyland sign. The door slid open at his approach, and he walked inside.

"You wanted to talk to me." Bruce threw it over his shoulder, then turned from within his nest of equipment.

Barnes smiled. "There's a convention in Ireland; it's the descendent of one Steve and me went to in '39."

"WorldCon? You were at WorldCon, the original?" Bruce looked at him, intently.

"You've heard of it." Surprising. He'd seen just how many people made it to San Jose, but that didn't mean much. You could meet up somewhere without wondering when the doorway was built.

"Yeah. I can't believe- Steve never mentioned-"

"Do you think you can keep a secret?" He realized that was a bigger ask, now. "It's not in July like it was, but for Steve's birthday-" He was a class A jerk.

"Yeah, this one." Bruce smiled. "If you want to tell me about early science fiction, though."

Bucky chuckled. The power of pulp and paste. "It was no Stark Expo."

\---------------------

Mid-August, 2019 41,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean

Steve looked around at the private compartment of the SI plane, from the well-appointed generous seat. "Bucky, where are we going?" 

Barnes rolled his shoulders. "To the future." Steve looked at him sharply. "Dublin, Ireland." That settled Steve some. "World Science Fiction Convention 77." He'd stumbled over a costume contest on YouTube after the congressional hearing. He'd needed the distraction. Reality was stranger than any digest cover, even if as creased and fuzzy as they often were.

"But that means," Steve put the pieces together; it wasn't just Captain America that was the tactician of a generation.

"They picked right up after the war." He wondered when jodhpurs stopped being de rigueur for spacemen. 

"Bucky, we live science fiction," Steve pointed out.

"Thought we'd get some tips." He adjusted his seat into lounger mode. A few panels were too spot-on, but there was a lot happening. "There's art programming."

"Yeah?" Steve wanted to know more.

Barnes smiled. "Get some sleep. Don't need you nodding off during Opening Ceremonies."

Amazingly, Steve adjusted her seat and closed her eyes. They did live science fiction. He slid the lighting down to running illumination. Heated seat, high-end leather scent, massage- he could doze.

\-------------

August 15, 5:15am local

The wake up of rising cabin light and announcement of location was itself worthy of science fiction. "Steve, I'm taking first shower." They'd made a more polished version of the quinjet's unit, and there was even a hamper for dirty clothes. The sonic shower did make his left arm tingle gratingly, but he didn't have to cat bath down the join. He dressed and let Steve take her turn. It'd been a question if she'd be able to make this trip, for a few months.

They're both presentable for the day before the plane starts the descent into the Dublin Airport air corridor. They taxi smoothly, and a customs officer clears them right on the plane. 

They disembark to a waiting car. "Beats the first time." Not that he'd come by plane or even to Ireland. There is a breakfast waiting in the back, a mobile booth more than a car. It takes the scenic route as complement to their meal. Steve forgets several times the bite on her fork or in her mouth, so avidly she's drinking in the sights out the window.

The driver mentions the hotel as they pass it before driving them across the bridge. They shed the car for a walking tour back to the CCD; Barnes has it planned to get on line half an hour before registration opens. The driver will drop their luggage at the hotel for them.

\--------------------

Getting their convention packets and wristbands for the Opening Ceremony went smoothly.

"The program schedule is on an app?" After getting the name badge secured and the She/Her pronoun sticker on, Steve navigated the app in overview. "How big is this Convention?"

"Two venues plus overflow spaces, and that's not including any cafeterias." Now they were on site, anyone might be deep lore savvy. Caution discreetly applied was key. Steve grinned; it had been a tussle, the six less subtle futurians exiled across the way by SaM. Doris and Ike had been too smart to get caught up in his 'just the SF' winnowing, and Dave hadn't touched the pamphlets after hiding the cache. Dick you'd hardly exile; he was that smart. Not smart enough to beat Eo-Pohl to the altar with Doe, turned out. Smart and love weren't all that related, though. He double-checked the Thursday events, seeing a couple of dangers to his surprise, "We'll need to get dinner and be done ahead of 8pm and Opening Ceremonies."

"The art venue also has the science presentations." Steve clearly was figuring out what she wanted to see. Barnes held out his phone to her opened to "Illustration or Fine Art?"

"Is that something you want to go to, or is it okay to run dinner over it?"

"Not sure, but I can text you." Steve smiled. They didn't have to stick together, even though their line of sight was longer than in '39. "I'm going to head over to The Point."

That was one danger down, the panel on the Retro Hugos was here in the CCD. "See you on text." Barnes headed to the escalator to get up to Wicklow Hall 2B.

Barnes was able to get a seat in the Fanzines Now panel, but he did take one at the back. The wall divider behind him was better than being hemmed in by other members. He was older than everyone, and a few people looked younger than he did. The room had two doors and held almost as many people as the total attendees at Caravan Hall.

\-------------------------

Steve walked over to the Point quickly and wandered about inside as the first presentation started at 10:30am. She was able to plan out her day as well before The Raksura Colony Tree instruction. Steve followed it with the Maeve Clancy installation talk.

\------------------------

He realized that while the app was less obtrusive than paper roadmaps, ten minute passing periods were too short. He couldn't travel fast through crowds and the halls were constricted with people waiting to enter rooms. The building hadn't been designed for the flow habits of people juggling a lot or masses changing rooms frequently and at the same time. He'd worked places like this, older versions of public spaces meant only for some people. Convention members weren't like his missions, they had no staff to smooth their effortless glide. They had bags or packs and things on their minds distracting them. And he was no longer an Asset darting into service corridors.

He wanted to see the play, which was just down one floor and further in. Before World War II, taking the stairs was given. He'd loitered on so many landings provide Steve cover to catch his breath, to ease a swollen joint, or ride out a muscle spasm. Now there were escalators for the main press and elevators for those that could not; the stairs were backup only.

Barnes drifted around looking to see if he recognized anyone from last year. That was harder with cosplay, and it was still early yet. The dealers' room was open, which gave him some distraction after he'd reconnoitered moving from place A to point B as a man.

He sent Steve a message about his discovery and looked further at the schedule to plan.

\--------------------

Steve sat in on an academic paper presentation of Visions of Home, following it with Murals for Hollywood and Grand Scale Projects. Steve read a message from Bucky, and sent one of her own. She skipped the 2:30pm programming block to make sure to get into Techniques:from analog to digital.

\--------------------

Acceding that he couldn't do it all, Barnes enjoyed the play, settled up his schedule better and was relaxed during The Evolving and Adaptable Worldcon panel. That Steve and he weren't the only originals in attendance had stunned him. That it was Mel, that made sense. He'd been a kid, several years younger than the majority.

He felt no need to meet Erle, it wasn't like they'd known each other. But, so much had changed in the intervening years, it was good to take a chance to remember and to hear just what went on in a world that came back from the war.

He'd read Steve's excited text about Murals for Hollywood and Grand Scale Projects before tucking his phone away to pay attention. He knew plenty of people were using theirs as assistive technology. It was proof this world was a future, that more computer power than put men on the moon could be held in one's hand. Steve had hated missing things from dodgy hearing. He saw them on the subway, and he was there when people smoked, read a paper, and ate concurrently while holding fast through the swaying cars. Anyone who thought this was the worst of possible worlds knew the past from propaganda, not experience, not even secondhand.

After the panel, Barnes slipped out the door while others gathered their belongings. He took the down escalator to the ground level, looking out to the view through the barrel of glass tipped back. He exited the building and made for The Point, seeing what his best easy time would be. Steve might not be done with her Techniques from Analogue to Digital panel by the time he got there, but she'd check her phone after.

"James?" Steve stepped in from behind. They'd talked about how 'Bucky' might draw more attention, here. In ever-changing New York, it could be irony. The chances out of eight million-plus people it was actually addressing him, staggering. 

"Thought we could eat now and make the 6, 6:30 programming." 

"Yeah, that's good. Let's circle while I check what's closest." Steve swiped and flicked while pointing out exhibits she wanted him to be sure to see.

In 1939, any part of this would have been more science-fiction than the next. That Steve would make it to 1940 had been in serious doubt much of the thirties; in the twenties, getting to the end of the week was all they sought for Steve more often than not. Barnes took in the venue, the sights, and was sorry more people weren't making their way over from the main hall.

"Ready?" Steve interjected, "I found a place, and there are reports it's both good and turning over quickly, as far as getting food."

He nodded, and they strolled out. Steve could hear out of either ear equally well now, and it wasn't to stand close that Barnes took the left of Steve but to put his metal arm further away from her.

They reached the restaurant quickly, and he recognized it from Diane Duane's recommendations list. They headed inside, and he let Steve handle the order while he combined situational awareness with reflection. Neither of them in 1942 would have expected to be here, now. If they survived the intervening years, very much in doubt for either of them, they'd be unimaginably old.

Steve hadn't survived the intervening years, she'd skipped from the war to the 21st century; he'd had to be reborn on that broken helicarrier. Though, from accounts, it hadn't been the first time, just the one that took.

He let himself be pushed towards a table, smiled, and nodded at the others eating. His appearance before the committee had been splashed everywhere, but no one paid him attention beyond checking him out. They did do that. Janet could have been in the SSR, she'd have been top-notch in the 603rd Camouflage Engineers. Her designing an outdated uniform meant that was what the public latched onto. It hadn't occurred to either Steve or him that would work or be necessary. He accepted his pint, and he whispered, "Slainte, Margaret."

Steve heard him, and she was his audience. Their food came quickly, and it was good.

\---------------

After having had dinner, Steve decided to skip the Illustration or Fine Art panel and instead see The Enchanted Duplicator with Bucky. It wasn't like she drew for a living. So much had changed, and a lot of it was bad to go through, but getting to the other side? Steve relished this was possible.

Quick pit stops and refreshments, and they were on line again, this time for the Opening Ceremonies, wristbands on. "How is it that the Opening is so late in the evening?"

"You've realized it's Thursday?" Bucky questioned.

"And they didn't start Saturday afternoon." Before the Serum Steve not been capable of a factory job; the Depression had finished the six-day workweek where unions couldn't.

Bucky tilted his head, granting the point. "This is for the stalwarts, whether they traveled all day or not. Sunday's the big show."

That made sense. Five days, though Monday was a part-day; Steve had seen that. An actual astronaut was participating in the convention. Not that Ben Grimm was chipped beef, but the International Space Station?!

The line eventually got them in, and they settled, a bit offset towards an aisle. The hosts Ellen Klages and Dave Rudden came out to the podium to open the convention, permitted the kilted Chair James Bacon to welcome both the in person and online audience, and then greeted the Fan Guests of Honor and the other Guests of Honor in turn.

Another man presented the Big Heart Award to Alice Lawson for her service to various conventions over the decades.

Next came the First Fandom Hall of Fame Awards, for Ray Faraday Nelson and the three posthumous recipients. The Sam Moskowitz Archive Award was presented to Dr. Bradford Lyau by Erle Korshak. Three featured artists were again greeted by the hosts.

"And now, the Retrospective 1944 Hugo Awards. Best Fanzine is Le Zombie, editor Wilson 'Bob' Tucker."

Steve clapped vigorously for Forrest Ackerman, Best Fan Writer, and Virgil Finlay, Best Professional Artist. She looked towards Bucky because of the harsh metallic sound at John W. Campbell's name for Best Pro Editor, Short Form.

Barnes made a point to clap for Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman. Heaven Can Wait and Wonder Woman #5: Battle for Womanhood followed.

"The winner of the 1944 Retro Hugo Award for Best Related Work is Captain America."

Steve was stunned, and then noticed Bucky was apologizing to those nearest to him towards the aisle. Steve glared at Bucky and stepped carefully out of the row and down the aisle to the stage. She hopped the stairs two at a time.

The hosts didn't expect a recipient coming from the audience, but they covered with aplomb. One handed over the trophy, gleaming smooth while the other whispered instructions about the mic.

"I just want to say, for the people that made Captain America possible, you all are a pretty amazing related work yourselves. Three-quarters of a century on, life holds possibilites they mostly couldn't imagine. Also, challenges they didn't consider.

One of them is in the audience, the man that came up with the name." Steve lifted the Award, addressing it towards Bucky. She let the hosts direct her from the podium, and one announced the Best Short Story winner. Best Novelette, Novella, and Novel followed.

Steve got back to her seat, whispering "Jerk" into Bucky's ear.

Barnes might have smiled at how Steve was holding the shiny rocketship.

Music from a choir started.

\--------------  
Friday, before dawn

"Bucky, why?" Steve asked

"Am I making tea? Because there's an electric kettle, and it's not Brooklyn in August."

"Clearly, you had this up your sleeve. I don't think people suddenly decided to nominate Captain America for a science-fiction related award."

"Did you read up on the Hugos?" Barnes handed Steve a mug of tea, setting the ceramic infuser on a saucer. He did the same for his own mug.

"Some. They started them in 1953; in 1996 they awarded them fifty years after the fact."

Barnes lowered his mug. "After forty years, they wanted the tradition more venerable. Some fans. Took them until 2001 to vote retros again."

"Are you saying they need something old-fashioned? I've been told that before."

Barnes looked at Steve, wondering who would think that. "Name two things that were old fashioned about 1943, and a segregated army doesn't count."

Steve didn't have an answer.

"Yeah." He drank his tea. They should get breakfast, but a mulish Steve wasn't good PR.

"What about the things that could have won otherwise?"

"The Best Related Work Retrospective Hugo has only been awarded once before. In 2004 for 1953's Conquest of the Moon, it's been dropped every other time because people don't nominate in the category in any numbers."

"But they did this year?"

"So, let's eat."

"Fine."

They breakfasted and then headed to the CCD. Steve decided that to make sure she got into Apollo at 50, she'd stay put and possibly check out the posters if the line didn't look too bad initially. Barnes headed out with Stroll with the Stars to see the sights since there was little danger the three hour business meeting would be too full to get in. Steve also managed to get into Continuing Relevance of Older Science Fiction at the Point while the business meeting rolled on.

Barnes went to the box office for their night's wristbands, continuing to knit a sock on line. Steve had gotten into Groundbreaking Women in Science, and he looked forward to reading her commentary and discussing it later. They caught lunch together quickly. Barnes wanted to attend Using SFF as sandboxes for ideas on politics and society at 4pm in Wicklow Room-3, while Steve settled into Which comic was your manual? at 3:30pm. Steve just managed to get into Comparable futurist movements; the queuing system was working.

Since they were part of the 7:30pm entry for the Philharmonic, Barnes encouraged Steve that they go to the Art Show reception and mingle. They capped the evening with Not Beyond Tolkien post-concert.

"There's a run in the morning, that something you're up for?" Barnes asked as they strolled back to their hotel. Lord of the Rings had been something Steve had discovered as she reentered the world in the 21st century.

"A run?"

"8:30am, read the description."

Steve opened the app and navigated to it. "Where would I print the barcode tonight?"

"JARVIS confirmed you didn't have one, so he signed you up. I've got a printout."

Steve smiled. "Too bad I didn't plan on this, they're encouraging cosplayers." Steve looked at Bucky. "You have that covered too?"

"Maybe. You take fashion risks I wouldn't."

\-------------

Steve, in the morning, looked over what Bucky had packed and chose from them. The Wonder Woman ensemble would be fine for beach volleyball, but Star Spangled Butt wrote itself. There was the near obligatory Captain America the Beautiful tee, this one cerulean with a sepia flag modulated into scenes as background for her cowled face. The Statue of Liberty tennis dress, no. Hilarious, but no.

Alice's pinafore won, and Steve changed into it. Bucky had turned down running too, citing the business meeting. Not that she'd honestly thought he'd take up the offer, the ease of his deflection was the point. Rather than wait and meet up at the CCD at 8:30, she decided to get in a run before the 5k and meet at Fairview Park. She even wore the large bow headband, tails fluttering behind her.

She saw the early WorldCon arrivals before 9am and waited on line with them for barcode scanning and then to await the pre-run instructions. It was a three-lap route and she'd checked the best times, male and female, to know where to set her pace. She was careful not to shave down too far from a four minute kilometer. She ate a powercake in the funnel, doing the tight ballet positions Natasha had taught her as cooldown stretches while she waited for the token.

Cleared, Steve moved into the spectator area. She wasn't going to make AI is coming for your art, so being back to the Point, showered, for Fantastic buildings and where to find them was her concern. She'd left a note at the hotel front desk, so they could skip their suite until after that.

\--------------------

Barnes got up for a civil shower and breakfast and again strolled with the Stars until dashing off to the business meeting, part two. At least he had knitting to show for the time. Steve sent a selfie from the queue with new friends prior to Fantastic Buildings. He finished the sock and started its mate. Steve managed to get back into the same room for Cover Me. Barnes bailed from the business meeting a bit early and raced over to the CCD for Alternate Apollos.

He tagged out Steve from on line for wristbands so she could make 'P/Faerie Tale', and managed to make the Guest of Honor talk with Diane Duane. They proceeded to break for an early supper, ending with the Masquerade after a full day. Barnes and Steve walked back to their hotel.

"Why this year? You said normally related works didn't attract nominations for the Retro."

Stubborn Steve was stubborn. "They took two years to change the rules to award for the years there was no convention." Steve kept looking at him. "Because they knew what was published. Okay? There was stuff published in 1943, and people now are more willing to big tent what's related, it's not just rocketry or science fiction gazing at its own navel."

"How did they know what was published? Why did they know what was published?" Steve asked incisively. "For that matter, how did they know 1943 was the right year for Captain America?"

"Given you came 30 miles behind enemy lines to single-handedly raid a work camp, it's pretty easy to say if you were available, you'd have done something rash and left a paper trail. The interviews with Peggy didn't hurt."

Steve tapped her badge, now festooned with various colors of printed ribbons. "This, I expect." Stevedore wasn't the weirdest name she'd seen so far, though which ones were real and which were jokes like this wasn't apparent. "How?"

"Last year, Bambi won for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form." He watched Steve try to figure out the connection. "People have seen it or heard about it. The other movies weren't that lucky, not outside people specializing. John W. Campbell has won each editor award given retrospectively. People recognize Captain America."

\---------------

Sunday, they got up and breakfasted together and Strolled with the Stars, with more business meeting and second sock for Barnes and What I Read When I Was Young for Steve. For the noon slot, she got into Afrofuturism: where do we go from here. Barnes picked them up lunch since Steve decided to take in Geek. He, fortified, got into Satire and the fantastic.

They met up at 3pm for Fandom at the Point, deciding on more a substantial meal afterward, once Steve sprinted back to the CCD for her chance on getting into a Monday kaffeeklatsch. They ran into some book vloggers Barnes knew and the conversation sprawled over several works contending for Hugos.

Following that with a literary beer in Martin's was natural enough, in the sense they were in the bar, they each had a pint and supersoldier hearing allowed them to listen to Fred Gambino and the members conversing with him.

They decided to watch the Hugos in the Liffey B overflow seating, around banquet tables and not the bar. Plenty of others had also made the decision. Afua Richardson and Michael Scott took the stage to get started. James Bacon, the chair, then made a speech regarding the volunteers that had made the convention. The captioning was having some hiccups during Ada Palmer's intro for the New Author's award before announcing the winner. Jeanette Ng made a scathing rebuke of John W. Campbell and his effects on science fiction-- Bucky stood and clapped for her. The Lodestar award followed next, and then the fan artist Hugo Award. Steve clearly was capturing the acceptance moment as she clapped.

Best Fan Writer was followed by Best Fancast. Best Fanzine preceded Best Semiprozine. Elsa Sjunneson-Henry handed off the lead of her guide dog before accepting the award for Uncanny Magazine. No part of her speech was captioned, a bitter irony.

The Best Art Book, Best Professional Artist, and Best Editor (Short form) continued the awards. Best Editor (long form), Best Dramatic Presentation (short and long forms) followed. Afua Richardson then played the flute, backed by the Irish Videogame Orchestra with a photo montage of Nichelle Nichols and her own grandfather, to whom she dedicated the performance. The Orchestra played for the following Memoriam. 

Michael Scott gave a talk about Irish storytelling, supported by more of Afua's flute. Nicholas Whyte took the stage to thank the volunteers and award Best Series before returning the show to Afua and Michael for Best Graphic Story and Best Short Story.

The category of Best Related Work was announced, Steve and Barnes exchanging glances. Archive of Our Own was named the winner, and a group came on stage. "She writes that series I like with the dragons," Barnes whispered to Steve. Steve clapped loudly as the feed swung to the audience standing in the auditorium, and people in the overflow stood.

Best Novelette and Best Novella were awarded. Afua then introduced Astronaut Dr. Janette Epps to award Best Novel.

"The future comes." Barnes mouthed. Steve tapped him on his bicep, smiling a question at him.

Once the ceremony was over they used their tactical sense to navigate the press of people seeking to congratulate the winners. They split up, Steve wading among the gumdrop hued heads, while he was less bold lest he become a suspect association blotch for Jeanette Ng. He'd wound up in the bar again before he accomplished his Thank you and shaking her hand; having done so he fell to talking with others after texting Steve his location.

\-------------

Steve pulled on the Captain America tee Bucky had brought, stuffing the Hugo Award into her bag. She'd found the answer to how so many people had gotten interested in the nonfiction published in 1943. Since 2017 works had been being mentioned, read, and reviewed. 1944 works had started getting mentions since April, after nominations had closed for this year's retrospective. Bucky had always been thorough with details, something left out of the Howling Commandos' hagiography. 

They had breakfast and again Strolled. Steve kaffeeklatsched with Naomi Novik, and pictures were taken with the two Related Works Hugos. AO3's was going to become part of the traveling exhibit, but one of the members wagged about never meeting a Work without it being literarily. Barnes managed to combine the last of the business meeting, completion of the second sock, and Ask Me About My Feminist Agenda. A brisk jog was incurred. Steve caught Humorous Fantasy and then New Zealand Space Program while Barnes attended Untranslatable SFF. They stood on line for the wristbands to closing ceremonies.

There were greetings, leave-takings, and knitting tips from there until settling into their seats. There were more pings and hamming until the presentation got underway. There was a little pomp, of transferring reins to the next year's WorldCon, some highlights such as the aerialists, and a review of just what a thing fandom was that it did this task and how.

Flying cars were less fanciful than this, if easier to draw and visualize.

**Author's Note:**

> Great thanks to my beta majoline and to my research abetters seekingferret and fred_mouse. Naturally any remaining typographical or stylistic errors are mine. I am aware of the historically common problems of Wonder Woman #5; Barnes is also in a reality where Diana is a person. Much of their entertainment is 'inspired by events'.


End file.
